Michael Lopez, 9, of Lowell, hugs Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, aka "Big Papi," as he grabs a bat during a surprise pi ata birthday party for Michael at Fenway Park Friday afternoon. Michael got to bring a host of family and friends to the special event his mother, Diana Santana, won through a JetBlue promotion. See a slide show and video on Michael's big day at lowellsun.com. SUN/Julia Malakie

Michael cracked a smile that could have stretched from Boston to Lowell.

Friday's festivities were a far cry from his time in a shelter upon arriving in America. Five years ago, the Lowell boy and his mother, Diana Santana, emigrated from the Dominican Republic, settling in a Waltham shelter.

There were 90 families there, according to Santana, 31.

"It was tough, very tough," she said. "Drugs were around, we kept him isolated of that, but it was tough there."

They then moved to Lawrence, and now have lived in Lowell since December. Santana received a degree from Middlesex Community College in 2015 where the honors student was a featured speaker at graduation. She's presently enrolled at UMass Lowell.

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After seeing the JetBlue promotion "David Ortiz vs. Piñatas" earlier this summer, she entered Michael's story, describing his resiliency and positivity while living in the shelter. She called him a "little man," always seeing the good in life and valuing what they do have.

Among thousands of entries, Michael was selected to win -- and was then surprised by his favorite player on the outfield.

"When we got out here, it's like, 'We're really here? Wow,' " said Driscoll, 45. "This is once in a lifetime.

"His grandfather is always talking baseball and asking how Papi did last night," he added. "Papi is a god down in the Dominican."

After the surprise, the party crew enjoyed watching the Red Sox take batting practice as well as a private tour of the park.

David Ortiz tosses candy in the air from the first pi ata Lowell birthday boy Michael Lopez, right, and his cousins had broken. Also looking on are Michael's grandfather, Luis Santana, and cousin Ariel David, 6, of Jersey City, N.J. SUN photos /Julia Malakie

The tour ended at an upper suite, and they got to watch the game against the Kansas City Royals. Unfortunately, the Royals won, 6-3.

What will Michael tell his fourth-grade classmates at C.W. Morey Elementary School?

"I met David Ortiz!" he said.

What will he remember most?

"The swing."

Follow Rick Sobey on Twitter and Tout @rsobeyLSun.

Michael Lopez, 9, of Lowell, with family and friends, meets David Ortiz at a pre-game pi ata party at Fenway Park, after his mother Diana Santana, right, entered and won Jet Blue's Party With Papi contest with a letter about Michael.
SUN/Julia Malakie

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